Towering ‘Towner notches highest-recorded Premier Data ranking points score

Ben Wratten (left) celebrates the 2023 Premiership won by Powelltown. (Supplied, 419056)

Powelltown Football Netball Club superstar Ben Wratten has etched his name into the history books with a mammoth performance in the Outer East Football Netball League’s Division One competition.

Wratten racked up an astonishing 336 ranking points for his performance, despite Powelltown being comfortably beaten by Alexandra 8.6, 54 to 20.17, 137.

Ruckman Wratten recorded 61 disposals (equally a recording he already held), 37 hitouts, 1 goal, 19 marks, 46 kicks, 17 rebound 50s, 12 intercept possessions, 26 contested possessions and 15 clearances.

Wratten’s new record edged out social media influencer Tom Baulch, known as ‘Prime Train’, who set his 329-point score while playing for Blighty in the Picola District league in April as part of his ‘2024 footy tour’.

Baulch recorded 81 disposals, including 20 contested possessions, 14 rebounds 50s, 14 marks and nine intercepts. Jack Cattanach of the Hay Lions sits in third with 313 points.

Wratten isn’t the first Upper Yarra footballer to hold the Premier Data record either, with Wandin’s Joel Garner briefly holding the record with his 46-disposal, 7-goal performance against Gembrook-Cockatoo in June 2023, becoming the first player to beak the 300-point Premier Data ranking points threshold in the process.

Wratten’s performance isn’t an isolated showing either with Premier Data including him as the ruckman in its mid-season Team of the Year posted on 13 June. At that point in the season, he was averaging 216 points, 45.8 disposals, 27.8 hitouts and 18.7 clearances per game.

Some of his other highest-scoring performances this season include:

233 ranking points from 42 disposals, 42 hitouts, 34 contested possessions, 17 clearances and 9 intercept possessions in a loss to Yarra Glen.

263 ranking points from 54 disposals, 40 contested possessions, 23 hitouts, 24 clearances and 12 intercept possessions in a loss to Belgrave.

268 ranking points from 61 disposals, 21 marks, 26 contested possessions, 16 clearances and 8 rebound 50s in a loss to Yea.

252 ranking points from 51 disposals, 37 contested possessions and 51 hitouts in a loss to Healesville.

Wratten has also won the last four Jim Wandin medals for the best and fairest player in the Outer East’s now-defunct Division Two and featured in the back-to-back premierships won by Powelltown in 2022 and 2023.